Now that the mid-term elections are over in the US, President Obama is free to announce the climate commitments that voters didn’t need to hear. (I did say this would happen.) It’s a “landmark” agreement (with China) and a “gamechanger,” but no one can point out what happens if either country doesn’t stick to its agreement.
The end-point of this grand theater of intent and glorious promises is Paris 2015.
What matters is the appearance of “momentum” — and this show ticks all the boxes. The two global superpowers make a sudden, unexpected agreement to reduce emissions and the press can call it “remarkable,” as if it has substance. Obama – the President without a majority in either house of Congress – has announced a big new target of 26% reduction by 2025. What can a lame-duck President achieve? Fluff and PR. As it happens, U.S. emissions have been falling for years because of the miracle of shale oil. This announcement supposedly doubles the pace of that reduction which was occurring anyhow, and which had nothing to do with any Green policies aimed at reducing emissions. Furthermore, Obama, magically, will do it without imposing new restrictions on power plants or vehicles. What’s not to like?
The Chinese, meanwhile, were projected to hit their peak emissions in 2030 anyhow. So their big commitment is to keep doing what they were going to do anyway mostly. Let’s have a press conference. Everybody cheer. It’s historic baby.
All the important questions go unasked and unanswered
What’s the punishment, the 10,000-line legal agreement? What exactly will happen if neither country meets these “intentions” and “targets”? Is that a big slap on the wrist coming, or will someone have to pay real money — and is the fine in dollars or renminbi?
How many degrees will this agreement cool the world? Is that zero degrees to one decimal place or is that zero to two?
No one needs to mention these minor details. That’s not what matters. It’s not about the climate, but about the appearance of doing something in order to sweep the rest of the world into action:
These actions will also inject momentum into the global climate negotiations on the road to reaching a successful new climate agreement next year in Paris.
Nobody is hiding that this is about PR and not really about pollution. The first paragraph of the New York Times lays it right out:
BEIJING — China and the United States made common cause on Wednesday against the threat of climate change, staking out an ambitious joint plan to curb carbon emissions as a way to spur nations around the world to make their own cuts in greenhouse gases.
What exactly did China commit to?
…a first-ever commitment by China to stop its emissions from growing by 2030.
Sixteen years from now China may be producing a lot more CO2 each year, but they promise to keep their ultra high level at the same ultra high level year after year from then on. They are promising to stick to “extreme,” but not rise to “obscene.”
You can see how strong the leader’s commitment is. Obama even wrote a letter:
Administration officials said the agreement, which was worked out quietly between the United States and China over nine months and included a letter from Mr. Obama to Mr. Xi proposing a joint approach, could galvanize efforts to negotiate a new global climate agreement by 2015.
But they did meet for two whole days with only a few distractions about military and trade stuff:
It was the signature achievement of an unexpectedly productive two days of meetings between the leaders. Mr. Obama and Mr. Xi also agreed to a military accord designed to avert clashes between Chinese and American planes and warships in the tense waters off the Chinese coast, as well as an understanding to cut tariffs for technology products. – NY Times
It doesn’t take long to change the energy infrastructure of a nation, just a couple of busy days of talking and a letter. Where is the fine print?
Al Gore came to Australia in June to get Clive Palmer to pressure Prime Minister Abbott to commit to doing something “if the rest of the world did.” Thank goodness he did not. How many political leaders will be fooled by a smoke and mirrors agreement like this into thinking it means something?
Mr Shorten said on Wednesday the “historic and ambitious” agreement showed global leadership from the U.S. and China.
“At the G20 this week, Australia will hold the embarrassing title of being the only nation going backwards on climate change. With China and the United States representing around one-third of the global economy and over 40% of global emissions, there will be significant momentum to deal with climate change in Brisbane,” he said.
Most of President Obama’s actions insult our intelligence. He believes that future historians will reward his act without detailed investigation of what he did
History will reward the person that erases this blight from out WH, no matter the method.
My Question is when is the coward GOP going to stand up to This Usurping POS prezident????? everyone Complains but they do NOTHING
The GOP (Vichy Repubics ) (RINO’s) are taking us to socialism @ 50mph while the Demo’s are taking us to Marxim @ 100mph meaning there is almost no difference between the two. There is a small group of Conservatives fighting them. As long as the rino’s control the gop we’re lost. Jefferson was correct about “THE-TREE-of-LIBERTY” “I have come to the conclusion that 1 useless man is a disgrace, that 2 form a law firm, while 3 or more make a Congress” JOHN ADAMS. “When the roll is called in the Senate the Senators DO NOT know weather to answer Present or NOT GUILTY” Theodore Roosevelt. P.S. “If voting made a difference they would not let us do it” Mark Twain
If the GOP does anything the Liberals will holler Racism and stop insulting our poor President show him the respect he deserves. They just don’t get it and never will. Liberals don’t realize its stupid stuff like this that drives companies over seas and loses jobs for Americans. You don’t have to be classified as a Lib Or Conservative to see this is wrong. Wake up Americans. This man is out of control and has been for a long time, has nothing to do with Race only with stupidity and abuse of power.
MULATTO-MARXIST-MUSLIM,,,,,barack-THE-MAGIC-NEGRO….the skinny-butt’d-fag…..”Those who make peaceful Revolution Impossible, Will Make VIOLENT REVOLUTION INEVITABLE” J.F.K.
Obama just had to do something else to make our lives harder and more costly before he leaves office. The president of China and his friends must have laughed until they had sore stomachs over this agreement.
The RINOsaurs and the GOP (Gross Old Pricks) have no Backbone,They have been Spineless for years. I do not expect them to do anything to correct the wrongs done to the American people by the present commie administration.
You are correct; they are a huge part of the problem, if they do not stand up to this crap!
The only Gross Pricks are the liberal DEMS, the CIC, and his dirty dozen. The GOP have been fighting the DEMS for years, but were outnumbered because of liberal DEMS voting for the Donkeys. Elephants have more brains & backbone then the dumb donkeys.
You are both correct. The common problem here is beyond Party affiliation. It is the evil head of Progressivism the controls the Democratic Party and fuels the “incompetence” of the GOP Establishment. Time to rise up and throw all the bums out of DC. The American Federal and some State Governments need a full reboot to remove the anti-American virus that inflicts them.
Global warming has always been a hoax only equaled by the fact that “BO” has never been eligible for his office. I hope the GOP wake up and hurredly impeach this imposter.
And convict him, and sentence him to several years in prison, so he can get a taste of what he’s been trying to impose upon us.
Obama hates this country. This is just further proof of that.
China emits about 10 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year and the U. S. about 5 billion tonnes per year. By 2030 China will emit about 20 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. The U. S. is promising to reduce emissions by 26-28 percent by 2025 which means our emissions should be South of 4 billion tonnes per year. The U. S. will cheat because they claim carbon dioxide emissions from biofuels is zero because it takes carbon dioxide to make the biofuel that emits carbon dioxide upon combustion. Our biofuels are not carbon dioxide free. Ethanol from corn most likely produces more carbon dioxide during production than the carbon dioxide emitted upon its use as a fuel. All this excess carbon dioxide will be pretended to not exist and enable the country to reduce carbon dioxide in transportation when in fact it is not.
It appears con artists on both sides are playing this game. President Obama is not smart enough to play any game; so our economy will suffer and we will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by shipping jobs over to China.
James H. Rust, Professor of nuclear engineering
It is the old shell game. Take your carbon emissions from the USA and hide them over in China. That is why the Green Climate Nazis are nothing but a bunch of thieving liars. I have been saying this for decades. When you move US manufacturing overseas, you are not removing the pollution one bit from the planet. In fact, you are making it far worse as these far away regions these factories are moving to (with the US Government’s blessing and funding BTW) because they have no ecological, environmental or emissions regulation.
The Green movement is the ultimate in hypocrisy. They drive around in their little Prius still using fossil fuels or their Electric Vehicles that require more power plants and electrical infrastructure upgrades to support them. They tool around in private jets producing tons of pollution. They invade natural areas to enjoy the beauty yet their very presence their negatively affects the environment with roads, parking lots, signs, bridges, flood control, walking paths, bike trails, trash cans, porta-potties, and driving their car there bringing CO2 emissions with them. So now the problem is one hundred fold worse.
Here is what gets me. Plants need CO2 to survive. Hot House growers actually pump CO2 into their hot houses to make the plants healthier and to produce more abundant yield. Heck, even the pot heads know that to grow their marijuana. Plants expel Oxygen as a by-product. Do they not know that is what we humans and animals use to survive? Maybe they want to ban Oxygen as it is the main catalyst for corrosion. Oxidation is destroying the planet so we must stop it at all costs by taxation and hiding it in some far away land.
It amazes me that President Obama can do this and look like a fool to the rest of the world because they know what is really happening. Then he acts like this is a major achievement and the MSM broadcasts it a such, when everyone else knows the real truth.
How can China make a fool out of Obama………He was already the fool. The CIC never had any intelligence to begin with along with Reid, Pelosi, & mustached evil black man that loves kissing the CIC’s backside.
Pesky little details such as our Divinely inspired Constitution are “bumps in the road” to B.O.’s agenda, but is this type of unilateral action allowed under the Supreme law?
Aren’t statistic tyrannical? Xi does little and get credit for the American President. What a load of malarkey!
Notice that he forked over our cash, yet again, to bribe others to do his biding. How about he campaigns the planet on his own dime and bribes them will a night out on the town with the wookie.
I can’t understand what goes on President Obama’s head. He travels to Australia for a meeting where the host country did not want climate change discussed. Then Obama announces he is giving $3 billion of our tax dollars to a fund to bribe third-world countries to sign a protocol in Paris next year that will give them a lot of money. Without the bribe, they claim they won’t sign. Then Obama gives a talk to a bunch of liberal students at the University of Melbourne criticizing the new Australian government that has said the global warming hoax is a lot of baloney. Once Obama is out of office, if he tries to travel around the world, many friendly countries will not give him a visa.
James H. Rust
Manmade CO2 is only 0,001152 % (= nil) of the global atmosphere.
That makes it IMPOSSIBLE that manmade CO2 raises global temperatures or causes Climate Change.
Every person with some brains will understand that, but fools like the stupid liar
Barry Hussein Obama Soetoro and his ilk still declares CO2 a poisonous gas and
manmade CO2 as destroying the globe, while CO2 is absolutely indispensable for
all life on earth!
The more fossil fuels burnt, the better!